Silage loader

ABSTRACT

A silage loader includes a boom which is pivotable about a vertical axis as well as swingable about a horizontal axis, thus enabling it to make two or three cuts down the face of a silage bank without moving its supporting vehicle. A V-shaped nose upon the front of the apron accommodates the pivoting boom. The loader operates completely off hydraulic power, i.e., the movement of the vehicle and the guiding of the vehicle, as well as the movement of the boom in both directions and the turning of conveyors and the reel, is all done by power transmitted to these locations by hydraulic fluid. Improved teeth are mounted on the reel for tearing the silage from the bank.

United States Patent [191 Byrd [54] SILAGE LOADER [76] Inventor: Wylie A. Byrd, Rt. No. 2, P. O. Box

25, Tulia, Tex. 79088 [22] Filed: Mar. 16, 1971 [21] Appl. No.2 124,876

[52] U.S. Cl. ..198/9, 198/36 [51] Int. CI. ..B65g 65/06, 865g 65/28 [58] Field of Search ..198/9, 36; 180/74 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,679,143 7/1928 Wineman ..198/9 3,230,647 'l/l966 Gates 1,311,943 8/1919 Andrews 1,321,780 11/1919 Anderson ..198/233 A X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 48,760 5/1966 Germany ..198/9 [11] 3,724,635 51 Apr. 3, 1973 Primary Examiner-Edward A. Sroka Attorney-Charles W. Coffee ABSTRACT A silage loader includes a boom which is pivotable about a vertical axis as well as swingable about a horizontal axis, thus enabling it to make two or three cuts down the face of a silage bank without moving its supporting vehicle. A V-shaped nose upon the front of the apron accommodates the pivoting boom. The loader operates completely off hydraulic power, i.e., the movement of the vehicle and the guiding of the vehicle, as well as the movement of the boom in both directions and the turning of conveyors and the reel, is all done by power transmitted to these locations by hydraulic fluid.

Improved teeth are mounted on the reel for tearing the silage from the bank.

6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PMENI nma 191a 3.724.635

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WYLIE A. BYRD mvsmoa SILAGE LOADER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to power-driven conveyors, loading machine type, with rotary gatherers, and more particularly to a silage loader (198/9). 2

2. Description of the Prior Art Most of the silage loaders on the market today are basically of the type shown in OSWALD U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,724,481 and 2,779,452. These machines have a reel on the end of a boom which tears the silage from the bank by a pressing-cutting action, which action is to flip the silage out rather than to dig it out. The boom on these machines is the swinging type only in that it moves up and down, but not from side to side. The silage is taken from the bank and dropped into an apron where an auger-type conveyor takes it to the center where a drag-chain conveyor conveys it upward and rearwardly to be deposited in a truck or other vehicle to be moved to the place of feeding. These machines are basically mechanically driven in that most of the elements are driven by mechanical transmissions from the motorof the carrying vehicle.

For several years before the filing of this patent application, I have been manufacturing and selling silage loaders having a boom which pivots about a vertical axis as well as swinging up and down. Also, on a dirt moving machine, I believe this pivoting feature appears to be shown in the U.S. Pat. to RICHMOND & BEEBE, No. 779,442.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION New and Different Function [have found it desirableto form the apron approxi mately in the shape of the pattern created by the reel on the boom as it pivots from side to side. The exact shape would be an arc. However, the difficulties in shaping sheet metal are such that I have found a compromise in a V-shaped nose on the apron is desirable and works much better than an apron whose front extends straight across.

All the power is directed from an internal combustion engine to a hydraulic pump and then to operate all elements from a hydraulic motor located on the element. Specifically, a separate hydraulic motor for each driven wheel is located at the wheel. n the guidance, I use a fifth-wheel type guiding system wherein the rear axle is itself turned. A hydraulic cylinder type motor interconnects the axle and the frame. Also, it is more convenient to provide a separate hydraulic motor for the reel and the conveyor. A cylinder-type motor swings the boom and another cylinder pivots the boom from side to side.

The digging of the silage from the bank of silage has always presented a problem. I have succeeded by attacking the problem directly. The forward edge of the teeth rake forward and forcefully dig the silage from the bank with a positive digging action. However, if too much rake or forward pitch is put onto the teeth, the teeth will tend to become ensnared with material in the silage, particularly corn cobs. Putting a forward point or hook on the front of the tooth definitely digs into corn cobs, reducing the efficiency of the operation. Also, I have found that if a forward pitch is not put to the teeth, the reel as a whole tends to rake across the.

silage bank rather than digging into it. I have had good success using a tooth having a forward rake of about 20 as measured from a radial line on the reel.

Therefore, it may be said that this machine differs at least in part by digging the silage from the bank rather. than cutting it from the bank or causing the silage to come from the bank by a spring action. Also, this loader differs from the previous one by having the V- shaped nose on the apron and by having the all-hydraulic drive.

Objects of this Invention BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a silage loader according to this invention with some parts foreshortened and some broken away and some not shown for clarity.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof with some parts not shown and other parts foreshortened and other parts shown in alternate position for clarity.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of a reel.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the reel taken substantially on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a detail of a reel tooth taken substantially on line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As may be seen in the drawings, the loader has frame 10. The frame 10 has two driven front wheels 12. Also, the frame 10 has two dirigible rear wheels 14 mounted upon axle 16 which is pivoted like a fifth wheel by roller bearing 18, having a vertical axis and depending from the frame 10.

Internal combustion engine 20 is mounted upon the frame 10 and it is the prime mover of the source of power for the loader. All of its output is connected to hydraulic pump 22. It will be understood that the motor 20 has all of the necessary auxiliary equipment such as an electrical generator and a fan for cooling the radiator, and some power might be used from the electric generator to furnish lights for the vehicle. However, this is not thought of as a power output. By all, if its power output being directed to the hydraulic pump 22,

it is meant that there is no mechanical transmission connected to the engine 20 which would be .used to drive conveyors or to drive the wheels of the vehicle. The only external power connection, except for the electrical generator connected to the engine 20, is the hydraulic pump 22.

The hydraulic pump 22 has the necessary auxiliary equipment such as supply tank 24 full of hydraulic fluid and the necessary piping lines running from it. Particularly, it has an output line or high pressure line from the pump 22 which extends to manifold 26. Those ordinarily skilled in the art will know how to arrange hydraulic lines; therefore they have not been shown in the drawings for clarity.

There are numerous valves at the manifold 26, particularly one of the branch lines from the manifold extends to steering or dirigible valve 28. The dirigible valve is controlled by the steering wheel 30. The output from the dirigible valve 28 is conducted by suitable lines or piping to dirigible hydraulic motor 32 in the form of a double acting hydraulic cylinder. The dirigible hydraulic motor 32 extends from the frame to the axle 16. Therefore, with the engine 20 operating, the loader is guided by the steering wheel 30.

Each of the driven wheels 12 has a rotary hydraulic wheel motor 34 mounted on the frame adjacent thereto. Wheel chain 36 around the wheels are driven by a sprocket on the wheel motor 32. Suitable hydraulic lines connect each of the rotary wheel motors 34 to a driven wheel valve on the manifold 26. Therefore, by operation of the driven wheel valve, the vehicle will be driven forward or backward, according to the operation of the driven wheel valve.

Conveyor 38 extends the entire length of the frame 10 and it extends from as close to the ground as possible at the front of the frame to a point high in the air at the rear of the frame. It will be noted that the driven wheels 12 are at the front of the frame and the dirigible wheels 14 are at the rear of the frame. The conveyor 38 extends in front of the frame 10 at the front and considerably behind the back of the frame in the back. This is conventional with silage loaders. The conveyor 38' is driven by rotary hydraulic conveyor motor 40, which is connected by suitable hydraulic lines to the conveyor drive valve upon the manifold 26. The conveyor 38 is mounted upon mast or tower 42 which is attached to or part of the frame 10. The conveyor swings about a horizontal axis so that by operation of conveyor lift hydraulic cylinder 44, the front of the conveyor may be raised or lowered as necessary for proper operation or for movement of the vehicle from one location to another. The conveyor lift hydraulic cylinder 44 is connected by suitable lines to a conveyor lift valve upon the manifold 26.

Apron assembly 46 is mounted upon the forward end of the conveyor 38. The apron assembly 46 includes cross auger 48 with right and left flights so the silage which falls in the apron 92 is moved to the conveyor 38 to be conveyed from the apron to the back end of the conveyor 38 to be dropped into a truck or other vehicle. The cross auger 48 is driven by chain (not shown) from the conveyor 38.

Boom 52 is attached to the mast or tower 42 above the connection of the conveyor 38 thereto. Vertical pintle 54 is attached to approximately the top of the tower 42. Turret 56 is journaled to the pintle 54. Arm 58 on the boom 52 extends to one side thereof. Alternately, arm 58 may be attached to turret 56 on other models. Boom pivot hydraulic motor 60 in the form of a double acting hydraulic cylinder interconnects the arm 58 and the tower 42. Suitable hydraulic lines connect it to a boom pivot valve on the manifold 26. Therefore, it may be seen by the operation of the boom pivot valve, the boom 52 may be pivoted about the vertical axis of the pintle 54.

The boom 52 is attached to the turret 56 by suitable swing bearings 62 which have a horizontal axis. Boom swing motor 64 in the form of a hydraulic cylincer interconnects the boom 52 at approximately the midpoint thereof to the tower 42. Suitable hydraulic lines connect the boom swing motor to a boom swing valve upon the manifold 26. Therefore, operation of the swing valve will swing the boom 52, which is to raise and lower it in an arcuate path. Inasmuch as the boom 52 may be pivoted to the right or left, it is necessary that the connection of the boom swing motor 64 to the tower 42 be made by a universal joint so it has freedom of movement in all directions. Also, it is necessary that the connection of the boom swing motor 64 to the boom 52 be made by a universal joint.

Reel 66 is joumaled at the end of the boom 52. The walls of the trench or bank silo wherein silage is made are often not vertical. Therefore, it may be seen that by the manipulation of both the boom pivot valve and the boom swing valve that the movement of the reel 66 can be caused to follow the sloping walls of the silo, thereby removing the silage therefrom without the necessity of manual shoveling.

Rotary hydraulic reel motor 68 is attached to the boom 52 near the distal end thereof. Reel chain 70 extends from the reel motor 68 to the reel 66 to drivingly rotate the reel. The reel motor 68 is connected by suitable hydraulic lines to a reel valve upon manifold 26.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, it may be seen that the reel 66 has axle 72 which forms the hub for four circular discs 74, two on each side of the boom 52. Cross-carrier bars 76 are welded to the periphery of the discs 74 on each side of the boom and carry teeth 78. The teeth 78 are arranged in a general helical pattern, (FIG. 3). Each bar 76 carries three or four teeth depending upon the position of the bar in the helical pattern. The bars 76 form a cylindrical shape and the outer side of the bars 76 are herein referred to as the periphery of the reel 66.

The teeth 78, made of steel plate, project a distance d beyond the periphery of the reel 66. About one and one-half inches is proper for distance d". The reel 66 is designed to rotate in the direction of arrow A so that silage is dug from the bank and thrown down upon the apron assembly 46. The forward edge of each of the teeth 78 is straight and is raked forward by angle a". The outer edge of each tooth 78 is about one-half inch forward of the base of the tooth where it is welded to the bar 76. Stated otherwise, the forward straight edge 80 of the tooth will angle by angle a" to a radial line r extending from the axle 72 to the periphery of the reel 66. The tooth 78 is pentagon in shape and besides the forward edge 80, it has a peripherial edge 82 which is a cord of a circle having the axle 72 as the center. This peripherial edge 82 is short, being about fiveeighths inch long. The back edge 84 is a short portion which is parallel to the forward edge 80. The excess to pivot the reel 66' outward and then pivot it inwardly as it works its way down the side of the bank to follow the contour of the silo from which it is removing silage. Also, pivoting is advantageous because the boom 52 can be used to remove three cuts without moving the vehicle. l.e., in the middle portion of the bank, the boom can take a first cut from the left, then the center, and then the right, without the necessity of moving the vehicle. When three cuts are made, the face of the bank of silage will not be cut straight across, but will be cut in an arcuate pattern with the vertical axis of the pintle 54 forming the center of the arc. Therefore, the nose 90 of the apron 92 of the apron assembly 46 is shaped in an arcuate pattern. Although a true arc might be preferable, the difficulties of shaping sheet metal in a true are are such that I have found it more desirable to use a V- shaped pattern. The nose 90 of apron 92 is shaped in a V with two wings 94. The forward edge of each wing 94 is at right angles to the boom 52 which is parallel to the reel axis 72 when the reel axis is to the right or the left. I have found that this approximation or compromise works well.

It may be seen that the entire apron 92 is of a cornplex shape. The basic shape is a simple sloping plane 96 which angles forward and downward. Within a portion of this basic plane 96 is the circular indention which carries the cross auger 48 which conveys silage to the conveyor 38 at the center of the apronassembly 46. The V-shaped nose 90 is on the front of the apron assembly. The basic plane of the apron 92 is further modified by having the conveyor 38 in the bottom of a valley 98 with sloping sides intersecting the forward plane 96. Therefore, as the silage is dug from the bank if the silage strikes the valley portion 98, it will fall directly onto the conveyor 38, but on the other hand if it strikes the forward plane 96, it will be carried by the cross auger 48 to the conveyor 38.

The embodiment shown and describedabove is only exemplary. I do not claim to have invented all the parts, elements or steps described. Various modifications can be made in the construction, material, arrangement, and operation, and still be within the scope of my invention. The limits of the invention and the bounds of the patent protection are measured by and defined in the following claims. The restrictive description and drawing of the specific example above do not point out what an infringement of this patent would be, but are to enable the reader to make and use the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a silage loader havinga. a frame,

b. ground engaging elements on the frame for movably supporting the frame,

0. a swinging boom mounted on the frame,

d. the boom extending in front of the frame,

e. a rotatable reel means on the end of the boom for h. said boom also mounted to said frame to pivot' about a vertical axis; and

. 6 j. an apron on the front of the conveyor for collecting the silage, k. the improved structure comprising:

m. said apron top plan shaped to approximate the pattern created by the rotatable reel as the boom pivots.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 with the additional limitations of 11. said apron being V-shaped in top plan,

0. the wings of said V-shape being chords of an arc having said vertical axis as the center. 3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said reel structure includes n. a plurality of peripherally spaced teeth 0. rigidly attached to said reel, p. each of the teeth having a substantially straight forward leading edge q. raked slightly forward. 4. The invention as defined in claim 3 with the additional limitations of r. said apron being V-shaped in top plan, s. the wings of said V-shape being chords of an arc having said vertical axis as the center. in a silage loader having a frame, ground engaging wheels on the frame for movably supporting the frame, c. a swinging boom mounted on the frame, d. the boom extending in front of the frame, e. a rotatable reel means on the end of the boom for removing silage from a silo, f. a conveyor on the frame I g. extending in front of the frame to the back thereof,

and h. a motor on the frame, j. the improved structure comprising: k. a hydraulic pump mounted on the motor driven thereby, m. all the power output of the motor being absorbed by the hydraulic pump, n. at least one hydraulic wheel motor drivingly connected to at least one wheel,

o. a boom swing hydraulic motor drivingly connected to the boom,

p. a reel hydraulic motor drivingly connected to the reel,

q. a conveyor hydraulic motor drivingly connected to the conveyor,

r. necessary hydraulic lines and valves interconnecting said hydraulic motors and said hydraulicpump,

s. at least one of the wheels pivotable about a vertical axis to make the frame dirigible,

t. a dirigible hydraulic motor connected to said pivotable wheel,

u. said boom also mounted to said frame to pivot about a vertical axis,

v. a boom pivot hydraulic motor drivingly connected to the boom, and

w. an apron on the front of the conveyor for collecting the silage,

x. said apron top plan shaped to approximate the pattern created by the rotatable reel as the boom pivots.

6. The invention as defined in claim-5 whereinsaid reel structure includes y. a plurality of peripherally spaced teeth z. rigidly attached to said reel,

aa. each of the teeth having a substantially straight forward leading edge bb. raked slightly forward 

1. In a silage loader having a. a frame, b. ground engaging elements on the frame for movably supporting the frame, c. a swinging boom mounted on the frame, d. the boom extending in front of the frame, e. a rotatable reel means on the end of the boom for removing silage from a silo, f. a conveyor on the frame g. extending in front of the frame to the back thereof, h. said boom also mounted to said frame to pivot about a vertical axis; and j. an apron on the front of the conveyor for collecting the silage, k. the improved structure comprising: m. said apron top plan shaped to approximate the pattern created by the rotatable reel as the boom pivots.
 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 with the additional limitations of n. said apron being V-shaped in top plan, o. the wings of said V-shape being chords of an arc having said vertical axis as the center.
 3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said reel structure includes n. a plurality of peripherally spaced teeth o. rigidly attached to said reel, p. each of the teeth having a substantially straight forward leading edge q. raked slightly forward.
 4. The invention as defined in claim 3 with the additional limitations of r. said apron being V-shaped in top plan, s. the wings of said V-shape being chords of an arc having said vertical axis as the center.
 5. In a silage loader having a. a frame, b. ground engaging wheels on the frame for movably supporting the frame, c. a swinging boom mounted on the frame, d. the boom extending in front of the frame, e. a rotatable reel means on the end of the boom for removing silage from a silo, f. a conveyor on the frame g. extending in front of the frame to the back thereof, and h. a motor on the frame, j. the improved structure comprising: k. a hydraulic pump mounted on the motor driven thereby, m. all the power output of the motor being absorbed by the hydraulic pump, n. at least one hydraulic wheel motor drivingly connected to at least one wheel, o. a boom swing hydraulic motor drivingly connected to the boom, p. a reel hydraulic motor drivingly connected to the reel, q. a conveyor hydraulic motor drivingly connected to the conveyor, r. necessary hydraulic lines and valves interconnecting said hydraulic motors and said hydraulic pump, s. at least one of the wheels pivotable about a vertical axis to make the frame dirigible, t. a dirigible hydraulic motor connected to said pivotable wheel, u. said boom also mounted to said frame to pivot about a vertical axis, v. a boom pivot hydraulic motor drivingly connected to the boom, and w. an apron on the front of the conveyor for collecting the silage, x. said apron top plan shaped to approximate the pattern created by the rotatable reel as the boom pivots.
 6. The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein said reel structure includes y. a plurality of peripherally spaced teeth z. rigidly attached to said reel, aa. each of the teeth having a subStantially straight forward leading edge bb. raked slightly forward. 